ziegler



jawammw .I. ZIEGLER.

WRENCH on NUTCRACKER.

APPLlCATlON FILED DEC- Zl. 1915- 1,195,321, Patent-edAug. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES.-

THE NORRt: PETERS 00., Puamunm. WASHINGTON. n. c.

i. Z-IEGLER.

WRENCH 0R NUTCRACKER.

APPLICATION man 0Ec.21.19|5.

1,1 95, 32 1 Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WITNEE:

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JACOB ZIEGLER, OF GOFFEYVILLE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT K. DAVIS, OF COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS.

WRENCH OR NUTCRAGKER.

Application filed December 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J noon ZIEGLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coffeyville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful lVrench or Nutcracker, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved wrench 0r nut cracker, adapted particularly for cracking or breaking nuts, and also for use in the capacity of an ordinary wrench for turning pipes, and other objects, such as threaded nuts, and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wrench or nut cracker of this character which is of simple and economical construction, which may be easily held in one hand, and which may be pressed upon a pipe, or upon a nut to be cracked, by relatively slight pressure on the shank and handle of the Wrench.

It is another object of the invention to provide a wrench with relatively few parts, to provide the same with a sliding head having an integral pawl for interlocking with ratchet teeth on the shank of the wrench, and to provide a movable jaw which is pivoted to the head, and which itself carries an operating lever to apply pressure directly to the jaw, and to cant the head by pressure of the pivoted jaw against the object clamped.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will be brought out more specifically in the following description of the present preferred embodiment of the invention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved wrench and nut cracker, in closed position and in engagement with a pipe. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through one side of the improved wrench, showing the same open and in position ready to compress a nut, for'cracking the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the wrench, taken on the line 3-3'of Fig. 2, and looking downwardly upon the head and movable jaw. Fig. 4: is a transverse sectional View, taken on the line 4-l of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a transverse section, taken through the wrench, on the line 55 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, and dis- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug, 22, 1916.

Serial No. 68,029.

closing the inner face of the fixed jaw of the wrench. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the combined tool, the same being shown in closed position. F 1g. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view, through one side of the same, showing the parts in open position. Fig. 8 is a detail top plan view of the movable jaw of the modified form shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Referring to these drawings, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference, 10 designates the shank of the tool in the form of an elongated bar preferably rectangular in cross section, as shown in Figs. 8, 1, and 5, and having upon its upper end a fixed jaw 11. This jaw 11, as shown in the drawings, extends outwardly to one side of the shank 10, has a transversely serrated engaging face 12, formed by inwardly extending teeth or ribs, and is preferably provided at its intermediate portion with a concaved depression 13, adapted to receive the upper side of a nut, or the like, to be cracked. The shank 10 is also provided, intermediate its ends, with a row of upwardly directed ratchet teeth 14:, which terminate at the lower end of the row in a stop shoulder 15. These teeth 14:, and the stop shoulder 15 are formed on the inner edge of the shank 10, in the vertical plane of the fixed jaw 11.

Slidable upon the shank 10 between the fixed jaw 11 and the stop shoulder 15 is a head 16. This head 16, as may be clearly seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 4, comprises a body por tion or side plate, which engages across one side of the shank 10, and extends outwardly therefrom in parallelism with the fixed aw 11, and preferably slightly beyond the same. The intermediate portion of this body plate 16 of the head has a laterally extending web or pawl 17 formed preferably integral with the plate or head 16, and lying in spaced relation across the ratchet teeth 14. The lower end of this pawl 17 is beveled to provide a biting edge 18, for engagement between the ratchet teeth 1 1 when the head 16 is rocked to advance the lower edge of the pawl 17 against the inner edge of the shank 10. The opposite side of the head 16 is closed by a detachable head plate 16 of the same formation as the body plate 16, and which rests against the free side of the pawl 17, so as to house the shank 10 in the inner or rear portion of the head. This head plate 16 is secured to the body plate 16 by means of transverse bolts 19 and 20 secured respectively through the pawl 17 and outer extremity of the head. These bolts 19 are threaded in the usual manner and provided with securing nuts 21 for fastening the separable head together about the shank 10. Of course,- any other suitable fastening means may be employed for holding these head sections either detachably or permanently together. The back of the head 16 is, for the purpose of lightness in weight, cut away at its intermediate portion to provide a pair of straps 22 and 23. These straps are each formed of pairs of inturned lugs or flanges, which are carried upon the rear upper and lower edges of the plates 16 and 16, the lugs or straps 22 and 23 extending around the rear side of the shank 10 to secure the head 16 thereto.

It will be noted, from Figs. 1 and 2 that the straps 22 and 23 are spaced slightly from the rear edge of the shank 10, and are adapted to bind thereagainst, one strap at a time, upon the tilting of the head either upwardly or downwardly. This construction admits of the rocking of the head on the shank to move the lower end of the pawl 17 into and out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 14:. The outer end of the head 16 is beveled upwardly to provide a pair of outstanding ears 2% through which the bolt 20 passes for securing the outer side of the head together. These ears 2% pivotally support the movable jaw 25 of the wrench. This movable jaw is in the form of a plate having a flat upper side, which is serrated or roughened by the provision of outwardly extending teeth projecting in an opposite direction, and arranged opposite to the teeth of the fixed jaw 11. This plate or movable jaw 25. is provided on its under side with a reinforcing web 26, which terminates at its outer edge in a lug 27, fitting snugly between the ears 24,.and being suitably apertured to receive the securing bolt 20 therethrough and admit of the free rotation of the lug 27 thereon. Thus, the movable jaw 25 is mounted to swing or pivot about the bolt 20, and move toward and from the fixed jaw 11. It will also be noted that this movable jaw 25 is supported in the outer side or edge of the head, and that any pressure between the fixed and movable jaws tends to force the ears 2-1 downwardly and consequently rock the head 16 on the shank 10. Such downward swinging or rocking of the head 17 binds the pawl 17 between the teeth let of the ratchet on the shank, and thus locks the head from downward sliding movement.

For the purpose of contracting the jaws 11 and 25 against the object to be moved or cracked, and also for locking the head 16 to the shank from downward movement thereon, a hand lever 28 is employed, which is preferably integrally formed with the web 26 of the movable jaw, so that the handle 28 and the movable jaw 25 move as one piece, and are preferably made in one piece to swing about the bolt 20 to contract the jaws and lock the head. The inward movement of the handle 28 toward the shank 10 is limited by a finger 29, which extends inwardly from the handle, preferably at its lower end, as shown in the drawings, to engage the shank 10, and prevent the handle and shank from coming together to injure the fingers of the operator. This inward movement of the handle 28 is also limited by the outer edge of the pawl 17, which lies between the plates 16 and 16 This edge is substantially vertical and is adapted to lie in parallelism with the inner edge of the hand lever 28, when the latter is swung down to its lowermost or innermost position. It will be noted that the movable jaw 25 is provided with a concaved depression 30 at its intermediate portion registering with the depression 13 in the fixed jaw 11. As may be seen from Fig. 2, these opposed depressions are adapted to receive nuts to be cracked or broken by the contraction of the jaws 11 and 25. As the inner opposite faces of the jaws 11 and 25 are provided with oppositely extending serrations, or teeth, it is readily seen that the wrench is adapted for gripping pipes and other cylindrical surfaces and tightening the wrench rigidly thereto, so as to turn the pipes, such action being had by the automatic adjustment of the movable jaw to which the power is. applied, so that any slipping-or settling of the article between the jaws of the wrench will be automatically taken up and consequently the article will at no time be free to. slip. or become detached from the wrench.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8. there is disclosed a slightly modified form of this improved combination tool, and wherein the fixed jaw 11 is mounted on the upper end of a shank 1O provided with the rack bar or ratchet teeth 14, as in the preferred form, but which has upon its inner edge and at its lower end a laterally extending flange 31 projecting from the opposite sides of the handle to pro vide a substantially T-shape hand grip. The fixed jaw 11 is preferably rounded and provided with a smooth lower surface into which is formed a spherical depression 13s of substantial size to receive a nut to be cracked. The head 1'6v is of the same construction as disclosed in the preferred form,

of the same construction and mounted in the same manner, as shown in the preferred form, this modified structure being particularly adaptable as a nut cracker, and may be made of brass, or other suitable material, which is not only of neat appearance, but which will have sutficient strength to withstand the pressure in cracking.

In the use of the improved tool, it is only necessary to drop or slide down the head 16 toward the stop 15. The tool is now placed with its fixed and movable jaws upon the opposite sides of the pipe, nut, or the like, to be gripped in the tool. The lever 28 is now swung outwardly to its fullest extent to engage the movable jaw 25 against the upper edges of the head plates 16 and 16 which engagement limits the outward swinging movement of the hand lever 28. This position is shown in Figs. 2 and- 7 of the drawings. When in this open position, the head 16 is forced upwardly against the article to be gripped, and the operator now engages his hand around the lower end of the shanklO and the lower end of the hand lever 28 to draw the shank and handle together. The inward swinging movement of the hand lever 28 first swings the movable jaw 25 about the pivot bolt 20 to further bind the jaw against the article. As soon as the article offers resistance to the movement of the jaw, the pressure is transmitted through the lug 27 and pivot bolt 20 to the ears 24, so that such pressure rocks the head 16 downwardly on the shank 10 and engages the pawl 17 against the rack bar 1%, the edge 18 of the pawl biting in between the rack teeth. This closed position of the wrench is shown in Figs. 1 and 6, and wherein it will be seen that the downward rocking of the head 16 is limited by the engagement of the strap 22 against the inner edge of the shank 10 and the binding of the edge of the pawl with the rack 14. Thus, the head 16 is positively locked from downward movement of the shank and the pressure of the hand lever 28 is transmitted directly against the article to bind the same between the fixed jaw 11, and the movable jaw 25. This pressure on thehandle is a yielding pressure, as the operators hand holds the jaws together and any settling or slipping of the article between the jaws will be imme diately taken up, by tightening the grip on the shank and handle. As the pivot 20 is located close to the movable jaw 25 and forms the fulcrum thereof, and as the handle 28 projects downwardly between the plates 16 and 16 of the head to approximately the lower end of the shank 10, considerable leverage is provided upon the movable jaw and consequently a relatively great pressure may be exerted by a slight compression of the hand upon the shank and ever.

The wrench may be very quickly adjusted to the articles by merely throwing the hand lever 28 into its outermost position, as shown in Fig. 2, and using the hand lever as a hand hold, slide the head outwardly against the article to tighten the fixed and movable jaws against the article, and then by simply pressing the handle 28 toward the shank, the head is rocked and automatically locked, and the movable jaw 25 at the same time is forced with considerable pressure against the article.

It is, of course, understood that the present invention admits of variations in the design and formation of the parts of which the improved wrench is made up, and that these modifications or changes are within the spirit of the invention and are limited only by the scope of the following claims.

EV hat is claimed is:

1. A tool of the class described comprising a shank having a fixed jaw on its upper end and a rack bar on its inner side, a head slidable on the shank and having an integral pawl for engagement with said rack bar, and having ears projecting outwardly be yond the pawl, and a movable aw carried by the head and having an outwardly extending lug pivotally engaging between the ends of the ears, the movable jaw also having a hand lever integral therewith adapted to swing with the jaw about the pivot of the lug, and adapted to contract the'jaws against an article, and rock said head into interlocking engagement with the rack bar upon the inward swinging movement of the hand lever.

2. A tool of the class described comprising a shank having a rack bar in its inner edge and a fixed head on its outer end, a head mounted to slide on said shank and comprising a pair of opposed plates, one of said plates having a vertically arranged in wardly extending web terminating at its lower end in an inturned pawl for engagement with said rackbar, said plates having registering inturned flanges constituting straps for loose engagement about the shank to admit the rocking of the head thereon, a movable jaw arranged above the head and having an outwardly extending lug fitting between the outer ends of said head plates and having a depending hand lever extending downwardly between the plates, and securing bolts passing through said head plates to secure the same together about the shank, one of said securing bolts passing through the outer ends of the head plates and through said lug to pivotally hold the movable aw and its hand lever to the head.

3. A wrench or nut cracker having a shank with a rack bar in one edge and a fixed jaw, a head slidable on the shank and having a pawl therein for engagement with said rack bar, and a movable jaw pivoted upon the outer end of the head and extending inwardly therefrom, the movable jaw having a depending hand lever adapted to be actuated to swing the movable jaw upwardly toward the fixed jaw for compressing an object therebetween, and to cant the head on the shank whereby to engage the pawl with said rack bar and prevent the jaws from spreading.

4. A tool as specified comprising a shank having a row of upwardly directed ratchet teeth in one edge and having a fixed jaw, a head having upper and lower straps for engagement about the shank to hold the head thereto, and having a beveled projection at its lower end adapted for engagement with said ratchet teeth when the head is swung downwardly upon the shank to engage the upper strap therewith and space the lower strap from the shank, a movable jaw pivoted in the outer end of the head and extending inwardly therefrom into alinement with the fixed jaw, and a lever carried by said movable jaw for swinging the same about its pivot point to advance the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw, whereby to compress an article between the jaws and to subsequently swing the outer end of the head downwardly, and tilt the head into position to interlock the projection with said ratchet teeth.

5. A tool of the class described comprising a shank having a fixed jaw at one end and arack bar on its inner side, a head slidable on the shank and having a rigid pawl at the end remote from the fixed jaw for engagement with the rack bar, and a movable wardly toward the shank serving to throw the pawl into engagement with the rack bar and hold the head from slidable movement.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB ZIEGLER.

Witnesses WVALTER CARPENTER, ETHEL M. TODD.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

